Literacy Practice Test

Language Arts Practice Test

The Lone Star Challenge

Language Arts Practice Test

2020-2021

Excerpt from L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Chapter IV “The Road Through the Forest”

After a few hours the road began to be rough, and the walking grew so difficult that the Scarecrow often stumbled over the yellow bricks, which were here very uneven. Sometimes, indeed, they were broken or missing altogether, leaving holes that Toto jumped across and Dorothy walked around. As for the Scarecrow, having no brains, he walked straight ahead, and so stepped into the holes and fell at full length on the hard bricks. It never hurt him, however, and Dorothy would pick him up and set him upon his feet again, while he joined her in laughing merrily at his own mishap.

The farms were not nearly so well cared for here as they were farther back. There were fewer houses and fewer fruit trees, and the farther they went the more dismal and lonesome the country became.

Excerpt from L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Chapter IV “The Road Through the Forest”

At noon they sat down by the roadside, near a little brook, and Dorothy opened her basket and got out some bread. She offered a piece to the Scarecrow, but he refused.

"I am never hungry," he said, "and it is a lucky thing I am not, for my mouth is only painted, and if I should cut a hole in it so I could eat, the straw I am stuffed with would come out, and that would spoil the shape of my head."

"That is because you have no brains," answered the girl. "No matter how dreary and gray our homes are, we people of flesh and blood would rather live there than in any other country, be it ever so beautiful. There is no place like home."

The Scarecrow sighed.

Excerpt from L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Chapter IV “The Road Through the Forest”

"Of course I cannot understand it," he said. "If your heads were stuffed with straw, like mine, you would probably all live in the beautiful places, and then Kansas would have no people at all. It is fortunate for Kansas that you have brains."

"Won't you tell me a story, while we are resting?" asked the child.

The Scarecrow looked at her reproachfully, and answered,

"My life has been so short that I really know nothing whatever. I was only made day before yesterday. What happened in the world before that time is all unknown to me. Luckily, when the farmer made my head, one of the first things he did was to paint my ears, so that I heard what was going on. There was another Munchkin with him, and the first thing I heard was the farmer saying,

"'How do you like those ears?'

'They aren't straight,' answered the other.

Excerpt from L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Chapter IV “The Road Through the Forest”

"'Never mind,' said the farmer; 'they are ears just the same,' which was true enough.

"'Now I'll make the eyes,' said the farmer. So he painted my right eye, and as soon as it was finished I found myself looking at him and at everything around me with a great deal of curiosity, for this was my first glimpse of the world.

"'That's a rather pretty eye,' remarked the Munchkin who was watching the farmer; 'blue paint is just the color for eyes.'

"'I think I'll make the other a little bigger,' said the farmer; and when the second eye was done I could see much better than before. Then he made my nose and my mouth; but I did not speak, because at that time I didn't know what a mouth was for. I had the fun of watching them make my body and my arms and legs; and when they fastened on my head, at last, I felt very proud, for I thought I was just as good a man as anyone.

Multiple Choice

In the first paragraph, why did Scarecrow keep falling in the holes?

• His eyes were set too high, and he couldn’t look down.

• He was not intelligent enough to know to walk around the holes.

• He was too concerned for Toto and not watching for his own safety.

• He continued to drag his feet along the path.

Multiple Choice

According to Scarecrow, what would happen if he had a working mouth?

• It would cause him to be hungry.

• It would change his entire appearance.

• His stuffing would come out.

• What brains he did have would come out.

Multiple Choice

Why does Dorothy love Kansas?

• It is beautiful all throughout the year.

• It is gray and dreary, but she likes it that way.

• All good people live in Kansas.

• Kansas is her home.

Multiple Choice

What story does Scarecrow tell the child?

• how the farmer takes care of his fields

• how many Munchkins help the farmer with his fields

• how Scarecrow came to be

• how Scarecrow kept watch over the farmer’s field for years

Multiple Choice

How does Scarecrow know exactly how he was made?

• His ears were made first so he could hear everything.

• His eyes were made first so he could see everything.

• His mouth was made first so he could ask questions.

• His head was made first so he could reason everything out.

Multiple Choice

What eye color did the Scarecrow have?

• green

• black

• brown

• blue

Multiple Choice

All of the following characters were present in the scene EXCEPT ______.

• Dorothy

• Toto

• a Munchkin

• Scarecrow

Multiple Choice

Why did the Scarecrow not speak to the farmer?

• He was afraid.

• He did not understand the purpose of a mouth.

• He did not have a brain and did not understand what they were saying.

• He had no questions at the time.

Multiple Choice

Read the following excerpt:

“The Scarecrow looked at her reproachfully, and answered, "My life has been so short that I really know nothing whatever. I was only made day before yesterday. What happened in the world before that time is all unknown to me.”

The word “reproachfully” MOST CLEARLY means ______.

• angrily

• despairingly

• hopefully

• approvingly

Multiple Choice

What was unusual about the Scarecrow’s facial features?

• The farmer forgot to paint a mouth.

• One eye was bigger than the other.

• His forehead was covered in hay.

• The farmer used a button for his nose.